Phenomenal Qualities and the Development of Perceptual Integration

Abstract

Perceptual integration plays a key role in bringing about the subjective aspect of experience. Some types of phenomenal experience seem to occur independently of early perceptual learning. To make this point, this chapter first focuses on color and luminance sensation and color experience in infants, and subjects whose sight was restored after long-term blindness. Relevant data about the development of color vision in infancy and childhood are reviewed. Then, some observations about vision in the newly sighted are presented. Finally, the chapter suggests that overall, the development of color perception relies, to a considerable extent, on genetically preprogrammed maturation, whereas the perception of form and space relies heavily on perceptual learning through childhood. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.